Longtime volunteers serve at 15 Place's Loaves & Fish

View full sizeAlice Inge (left,) Margaret Sue Oswalt and Becky Baumhauer, all members of Government Street Presbyterian Church, serve lunches at 15 Place in downtown Mobile in December. The three are among many older people who volunteer regularly at the facility, serving between 100-150 lunches to the needy and assisting in other ways. (Mike Kittrell/Press-Register staff)

MOBILE, Ala. — Some 25 years ago, Margaret Sue Oswalt began working with Loaves & Fish. "A lady from church asked me to take her place," said Oswalt, "and that was that."

Once a month, Oswalt volunteers with others from Government Street Presbyterian Church to serve lunch to the homeless at 15 Place, 15 Joachim St. "It's very rewarding," she said. "It feels like I'm doing some good."

Loaves & Fish was founded by concerned citizens in 1979 after Hurricane Frederic. As they handed out food and supplies to those affected, they noticed that some people were hungry — but not just because of the hurricane.

Members of the group cooked food at their homes and brought it to the Catholic Social Services parking lot to feed the hungry in downtown Mobile. The group later moved into a church and then into 15 Joachim St.

In 2000, Loaves & Fish merged with 15 Place, which provides shelter, telephone and mail privileges, clothing, hygiene items and assistance to the homeless in Mobile.

With Loaves & Fish, they serve a hot lunch on weekdays from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. 15 Place provides the food, which is served by volunteers from local churches, civic organizations, social clubs and schools.

"The volunteers treat the homeless with such dignity and respect," said Lyn Manz-Walters, executive director of 15 Place. "Just because you're homeless doesn't mean you're not a human."

Sam Power agrees. Every month he provides small, store-bought cakes for those who might be celebrating a birthday. "It's a moment of dignity when you shake their hand, say a kind word, or give someone a hug," said Power, who serves on the Board of Directors for 15 Place and volunteers with Loaves & Fish.

Power also brings in birthday cards made by kindergartners at Corpus Christi School. "The real healing comes from relationships," Power added. "It's amazing how doing little things ends up doing a lot."

Barbara Lenaghan has been volunteering with Loaves & Fish for seven years with her eighth-graders at Corpus Christi School. She takes four students per month to help serve lunch. "It's one of the agencies our school feels good about helping," said Lenaghan.

In addition to serving, the eighth-graders collect hats, gloves and socks for 15 Place every year.

Like Oswalt, who first volunteered with Loaves & Fish in the 1980s, volunteers are faithful to their post for years. Some have been serving the same day of the month since 1979, according to Manz-Walters.

People always want to volunteer around the holidays, but volunteers at Loaves & Fish are faithful year-round. "Our volunteers so jealously guard their day (to serve)," said Manz-Walters.

"People like Margaret Sue Oswalt are the epitome of what we do," added Manz-Walters. A non-native of Mobile, Manz-Walters is impressed by how giving people in this area can be. "Mobilians are the most generous people," she said. "This is the most sharing community."

For information on volunteering with Loaves & Fish or 15 Place, contact 15 Place at 251-432-7227.

(This story was written by Lindsay Crandall, Press-Register correspondent.)